Problems · by component

2009 Saturn Aura service brakes problems

40 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Saturn Aura cite service brakes, 10% of all 390 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
40
10% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I was driving and all of a sudden I lost power steering and I had to get over pull over and I was freaking out I could have crashed my dash was saying service ecs”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2025Steering, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11696223
“The brake lights illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights will not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features. The car is available for inspection upon request. I am put at risk because there are multiple system malfunctions that occur that could result in a wreck or injury. The brakes selectively illuminating can result in a rear end collision and is not safe for travel. The traction control malfunction is unsafe for safe travel on the road. When the problem occurs the TSC will disengage with a light on the dashboard. The brake lights will stay illuminated.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2021Power train, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11435015
“THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY STAY ON. THE ESC ALERT/TRACTION CONTROL ALERT ALWAYS TURNS ON. ACCELERATION AND TRANSMISSION ISSUES. RPMS SHOOT UP AND JERKS INTO NEXT GEAR FROM WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON, AND SOMETIMES THEY HAPPEN AFTER I'VE BEEN DRIVING AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE MODELS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2021Power train, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11434713
“I WAS DRIVING HOME ON HWY 59 AND MY 2009 SATURN AURA XE JUMPED INTO REDUCE POWER MODE AND CUT OFF ON ME ,,THIS HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR, ALSO THE ENGINE RPMS GO HIGH EMGINE LIGHTS CUT ON AND CODES SAYS SENSORS AND THROTTLE BODY ALONG WITH AIR MASS BOX HAS A LEAK AND I HAVE TO CUT THE ENGINE TAKE OFF THE BATTERY TOO RESET THE COMPUTER, MY ABS SENSORS TURN ON AND OFF AND THE EXAUST KEEPS HAVING LEAKS IN THE MUFFLER EITHER BEHIND THE MOTOR OR UNDER THE CAR BY THE CATALAC CONVERTER ..”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2020Power train, Service brakes, EngineODI 11373787
“WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL REMAIN LIT UP EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES ARE NOT BEING ENGAGED. MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) LIGHT HAS BEEN POPPING UP ALOT LATELY, ALMOST EVERY TIME THE CAR IS BEING USED, IT HAS POPPED UP ON MY DASH WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED AND WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR, AFTER JUST STARTING UP THE CAR, WHILE STILL BEING IN PARK THE ESC LIGHT WILL SHOW UP AND I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR, I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE THE CAR AND RESTART IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2019Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11269745
“THE BRAKE LIGHTS OF MY SATURN AURA WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SELF-ACTIVATE EXACTLY 5 SECONDS AFTER THE DRIVER PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ACTIVE UNTIL THE DRIVER PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, AT WHICH TIME THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ACTUALLY DEACTIVATE. MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON I-94 AND WAS ALMOST STRUCK BY A SEMI TRUCK WHEN MY SON PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS DEACTIVATED (TURNED OFF). I HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT GM AND HAD TO PAY A TOTAL OF $697.03 TO GET THE CAR FIXED EVEN AFTER I NOTIFIED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THIS EXACT ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS OUTLINED FOR THIS EXACT CAR IN GM RECALL #13036. THE RECALL REFERENCED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE AND BRAKE SENSOR, BOTH OF WHICH WERE REPLACED CAUSING ME TO PAY $697.03. THIS IS MY SECOND NOTIFICATION TO THE NHTSA, I REPORTED THIS ON JUNE 19, 2019 (NHTSA # 11221201) BUT I HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. AS OF TODAY'S DATE (SEPTEMBER 3, 2019) GM HAS NOT REIMBURSED ME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2019Service brakesODI 11252929

Showing 6 of 40 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.